Tanzania police arrest senior opposition leaders, ban meeting

Police arrested senior leaders of Tanzania's main opposition party Chadema and hundreds of its supporters ahead of a meeting in the southwest of the country, the party said on Monday.

Chadema chairman Freeman Mbowe and the leader of its youth wing John Pambalu were arrested at a regional airport on Monday, the party said on social media platform X.

A day earlier, the party's Vice-Chairman Tundu Lissu and Secretary-General John Mnyika were arrested, party spokesperson John Mrema told Reuters.

Since coming to power in March 2021 following the death of her predecessor, Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan has lifted a ban on political rallies and relaxed restrictions on media.

However, she has faced criticism from opposition parties and rights groups for arrests last year of those planning protests against a port management deal.

The latest arrests came hours after police banned a conference planned by Chadema’s youth wing Bavicha, saying the event was likely to breach the peace.

Police said the party's youth leaders planned to influence young people across the country to meet and demonstrate in Mbeya, a city in southwest Tanzania, which a party spokesperson denied.

Mrema said the conference was to celebrate International Youth Day, where top party officials, including Mbowe, were set to address the youth.

"There are more than 400 people who have been arrested by the police," the spokesperson added.

Police spokesperson David Misime did not respond to Reuters requests for comment.

"We demand the immediate and unconditional release of all our leaders, members and loved ones who were arrested in various parts of the country," Mbowe had said late on Sunday on X.